1
as in enacting
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declaring
to state clearly and strongly
at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in specifying
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relinquishing
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying down
Verb
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Officials in India are enacting precautions to prevent further spread of the virus, with quarantine and surveillance measures in place.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
28 Jan. 2026 -
Officials in India are enacting precautions to prevent further spread of the virus, with quarantine and surveillance measures in place.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The school would tread cautiously before declaring the player ineligible, since refusing to pay a monetary fine isn’t a violation of NCAA, conference or scholarship rules.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The administration’s 2022 revenue projection error of $165 billion over four years led to Newsom declaring a $98 billion budget surplus and a sharp increase in spending, especially on social services.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Include your name, phone number and email address specifying February Writing Workshop.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Putting the murder shortlist in one person’s hands, rather than letting the shields do the work of specifying who can be killed off, is a major change that gives the Secret Traitor a ton of power without a ton of explanation for their thinking.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Buffalo Bills lasted seven weeks in the pole position before relinquishing the title to the Kansas City Chiefs.—
Scott Phillips,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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Hamas has shown no signs of relinquishing power or its weapons.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Galliano, who was famously fired from Dior in 2011, after making antisemitic comments in a bar in Paris, also attended the show, as well as Jean Paul Gaultier, a show of baton-passing if there ever were one.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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Authorities said Richardson was driving 104 mph and dangerously passing other motorists on the highway.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly defended the use of troops, asserting that cities with a Guard presence have become safer.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
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That early scene, at first, seems typical of two young male friends asserting their masculinity in a juvenile manner.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cooperation will remain the defining test.—
Vaishali Nigam Sinha,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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In Hollywood, where perception is everything, that narrative risks defining him permanently.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, while trying to confront grief with a sense of mischief, the movie’s impish tonal approach takes the sting out of death a little too often, rendering its catharsis null.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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Initially, Riot reported substantial financial enhancements in its core mining operations, rendering the company much more profitable compared to earlier mining downturns.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Laying down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20down. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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